Date of Award
8-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
International Family and Community Studies
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Susan Limber
Committee Member
Dr. Bonnie Holaday
Committee Member
Dr. Mark Small
Committee Member
Dr. Natyra Agani
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This study explored the mental health of healthcare practitioners in Kosovo during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the prevalence of stress, depression, and anxiety, and the associated individual, family, and work-related factors. The research employed a cross-sectional design with a sample of 449 healthcare workers from two hospitals in Kosovo. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess mental health symptoms, while socio-demographic and work-related information was collected through a questionnaire.
Based on the descriptive statistics of DASS-21 scores, the prevalence of mental health issues among the participants included high levels of depression (18%), anxiety (25%), and stress (22%). The DASS-21 scores revealed mild depression, moderate anxiety, and moderate stress levels. ANOVA and t-tests were used to analyse disparities and differences among groups and identified individual and family-related factors associated with higher rates of stress, depression, and anxiety. The prevalence of stress was higher among healthcare workers in rural areas compared to those in urban areas, (𝑝pp< .05), and nurses experienced more anxiety than doctors (p < .001). Healthcare workers with no children experienced lower levels of depression compared to those with one or two children (p < .05). The study found that 79.4% of healthcare workers had contracted COVID-19, with 5.4% requiring hospitalization. Those who had personally contracted COVID-19 or who had family members who had contracted COVID-19 experienced more depression and anxiety than those who did not. Despite these challenges, only 4.4% sought psychological support during the pandemic, although 47.7% reported implementing self-care strategies. The most common self-care strategies included meditation, family support, and peer support. Those who implemented more self-care strategies also reported experiencing more stress (p < .05).
The study’s results contributed to the understanding of the mental health challenges faced by healthcare practitioners in Kosovo during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support strategies and emphasizing the importance of addressing individual, family, and work-related factors in promoting the mental health and well-being of healthcare practitioners during crises.
Recommended Citation
Hoxha, Latif, "Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in Kosovo During the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2024). All Dissertations. 3708.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3708
Comments
This study explored the mental health of healthcare practitioners in Kosovo during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the prevalence of stress, depression, and anxiety, and the associated individual, family, and work-related factors.